Liberum Veto

Liberum Veto

the right of any member of the Sejm of the Rzeczpospolita (the Commonwealth of Poland and Lithuania) to annul by his protest the rulings of the Sejm; the requirement for the adoption of the decision was unanimity. The liberum veto was applied for the first time in 1652. In 1764, the Sejm voted to exclude economic questions from the liberum veto. The liberum veto was repealed altogether by the constitution of May 3, 1791.

While liberum veto allowed one voice of objection to torpedo the whole work of the Sejm, the necessity of unanimity promoted the rule of the so-called "grind of the votes:" insubordinate voices had to be subdued in order to accept the decisions of the majority.

Golden Freedom', their unique political system that spiked any attempts at real political progress and liberum veto, the tycoons' (or their representatives') right to prorogue or disband a Seym (parliament) by a singular veto, were the aristocratic liberties they cherished and most ardently defended.

He faults the election of kings, democracy, liberum veto, pacta conventa [allowing the noble class the kind of democracy now enjoyed by all citizens in democratic countries], and King Henry Valesius's concession of power to the petty gentry.

Let us consider the liberum veto concept [the veto power of individual members of the legislative body].

Would it be too much to submit that it was thanks to the system of the liberum veto that Poland's strength grew for over two centuries?

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